From 1993 to 1996 Binnie studied woodblock print carving and printing with the master Seki Kenji in Japan. Initially, Binnie worked as an assistant in Seki's studio in exchange for the opportunity to learn woodlock techniques. After 18 - 24 months, he became an independent artist-printmaker, and later on, Seki even did some editioning work for his former apprentice.

While he worked on his block carving skills, Binnie also began experimenting with kappazuri (stencil printing), which provided an accessible (albeit labor intensive) means to produce work during what was presumably a very stimulating period as an artist. Momoji ('Maple Leaves'), was only his third kappazuri print, and yet he deftly utilizes the technique to great effect in depicting the model's traditional Japanese tattoos- a subject he returns to ten years later in his 'A Hundred Shades of Ink of Edo' series in 2004.

Image rights: Scholten Japanese Art

Paul Binnie: A Dialogue with the Past - The First 100 Japanese Prints, 2007, p. 47, no. 5